Beijing has a rather dry, monsoon-influenced humid continental climate (Koppen climate classification Dwa), characterised by hot, humid summers due to the East Asian monsoon, and generally cold, windy, dry winters that reflect the influence of the vast Siberian anticyclone.[41] Spring can bear witness to sandstorms blowing in from the Mongolian steppe, accompanied by rapidly warming, but generally dry, conditions. Autumn, like spring, sees little rain, but is crisp and short. The monthly daily average temperature in January is -3.7 °C (25.3 °F), while in July it is 26.2 °C (79.2 °F). Precipitation averages around 570 mm (22.4 in) annually, with the great majority of it falling in the summer months. Extremes have ranged from -27.4 to 42.6 °C (-17 to 109 °F).

Climate data for Beijing (1971-2000)

Month

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Year

Average high °C (°F)

1.8
(35.2)

5.0
(41.0)

11.6
(52.9)

20.3
(68.5)

26.0
(78.8)

30.2
(86.4)

30.9
(87.6)

29.7
(85.5)

25.8
(78.4)

19.1
(66.4)

10.1
(50.2)

3.7
(38.7)

17.9
(64.2)

Average low °C (°F)

-8.4
(16.9)

-5.6
(21.9)

0.4
(32.7)

7.9
(46.2)

13.6
(56.5)

18.8
(65.8)

22.0
(71.6)

20.8
(69.4)

14.8
(58.6)

7.9
(46.2)

0.0
(32.0)

-5.8
(21.6)

7.2
(45.0)

Precipitation mm (inches)

2.7
(0.106)

4.9
(0.193)

8.3
(0.327)

21.2
(0.835)

34.2
(1.346)

78.1
(3.075)

185.2
(7.291)

159.7
(6.287)

45.5
(1.791)

21.8
(0.858)

7.4
(0.291)

2.8
(0.11)

571.8
(22.512)

%humidity

44

44

46

46

53

61

75

77

68

61

57

49

56.8

Avg. precipitation days (>= 0.1 mm)

1.8

2.3

3.3

4.3

5.8

9.7

13.6

12.0

7.6

5.0

3.5

1.7

70.6

Mean monthly sunshine hours

194.1

194.7

231.8

251.9

283.4

261.4

212.4

220.9

232.1

222.1

185.3

180.7

2,670.8

Source: China Meteorological Administration

Shanghai Climate & Terrain

Shanghai has a humid subtropical climate (Koppen Cfa) and experiences four distinct seasons. Winters are chilly and damp, and cold northwesterly winds from Siberia can cause nighttime temperatures to drop below freezing, although most years there are only one or two days of snowfall. Summers are hot and humid, with an average of 8.7 days exceeding 35 °C (95 °F) annually; occasional downpours or freak thunderstorms can be expected. The city is also susceptible to typhoons in summer and the beginning of autumn, none of which in recent years has caused considerable damage. The most pleasant seasons are Spring, although changeable and often rainy, and Autumn, which is generally sunny and dry. The city averages 4.2 °C (39.6 °F) in January and 27.9 °C (82.2 °F) in July, for an annual mean of 16.1 °C (61.0 °F). Shanghai experiences on average 1,878 hours of sunshine per year, with the hottest temperature ever recorded at 40.2 °C (104 °F), and the lowest at -12.1 °C (10 °F).